Honesty
by pyrrhicvictoly
Summary: "I don't know how well I would have taken it if you'd just barged in after what – months after a sudden disappearance? And then you'd say, 'Hey Aoba, drop everything and move halfway across the world with me.' Really, Noiz? That was your plan?"
1. Chapter 1

Aoba visits Noiz in the hospital as often as he can. Sometimes they have sex, despite Aoba's protestations of "The doctor says you should avoid strenuous activity!" Noiz's responses are invariably along the lines of "So I should relax. Help me _relax_."

Sometimes they just goof off or talk – about anything, really. Games, new tech, Granny's cooking, how was work today? The way Noiz asks – stilted, almost shy, as if he's just now properly learning how to be human – strangely makes Aoba feel like he's coming home, though his cute young "wife" is actually a bratty punk with a face full of metal and a multitude of thin, fading scars covering his hands.

The quiet visits are the best ones, where they just sit together without feeling like they have to fill all the spaces. Today is a quiet visit. Aoba sits on the edge of the hospital bed with a glossy new magazine opened up on his lap. Noiz is sitting up as well, chin on Aoba's shoulder and wiry arms wrapped around Aoba's waist.

It's a computer magazine geared more toward hardware, which is Aoba's specialty. He has to know how to build and fix computers for work, but he also _likes_ learning how to take things apart and put them back together again, better and faster than before. He likes being the link between the physical and the virtual. Software is more Noiz's specialty – coding, hacking, speaking to computers to get them to learn new things or do things they wouldn't normally do. Still, he reads over Aoba's shoulder and sometimes taps at new chipsets or peripherals that he thinks are interesting. Just as much as he enjoys having a lover, Aoba also enjoys finally having a friend who gets his tech babble.

Thinking of Noiz as a lover or even just a good friend is new. It's only been a month into their relationship, after all, and Aoba still struggles to figure out where they stand. He can't help but wonder what will change once Noiz gets discharged. They'll finally have that Rhyme battle, and have dinner with Granny, and…? Aoba has never had a serious relationship before – that he can remember, anyway. He doubts he did anything more than fuck around as Sly, though, and it's not like Noiz has done anything more than fuck around, either.

This _thing_ they have going on? Nowhere near 'fucking around'. So far into the uncharted territory beyond 'fucking around' that Aoba feels like he should be looking around for a map and compass to help navigate.

Both of them are completely new to this _thing_ blossoming between them, and everything had progressed too quickly for him to properly analyze. All the same, the thought of Noiz brushing him off once he's not the only piece of ass available has Aoba's breath hitching uncomfortably. He knows, he _knows_ Noiz wouldn't do that, but the doubts won't go away. Aoba knows he's not a model for mental health; split personalities and mind control powers aside, he has abandonment issues from his parents or something, and _fuck_. Noiz has abandonment issues from _his_ parents too. What a pair they make.

"What is it?" Noiz asks.

"Huh?"

"Your hands are shaking."

"It's nothing."

Noiz huffs softly, obviously disbelieving. The puff of air tickles against Aoba's ear. "Yeah, that's why you've been staring at the same page for twenty minutes. And don't think I can't feel your heartbeat picking up when I'm like this."

"Respect your elders, kid. Don't pry into adult situations." The deflection is automatic. Aoba cringes immediately, mentally berating himself for his inability to be just straight-up _honest_ for once in his damned life. But then, how can he be when he can't even put words to half the things he's feeling?

"Tch. You tell me to grow up, but you keep treating me like a kid. I shouldn't have told you my age."

"You only told me because I'd already guessed it from how bratty you act."

"Whatever."

Noiz closes his eyes, long lashes fluttering against Aoba's cheek. Crisis averted, Aoba thinks, though it doesn't make him feel relieved. He should have handled that better.

There are only a few days left before Noiz will be cleared for discharge. Only a few more opportunities for visiting this somewhat-tame version of Noiz who can't do anything crazier than letting Aoba ride his dick. It might even be the very last quiet visit before things inevitably change, and visiting hours are almost over. Aoba doesn't want to end the day on a sour note.

The room is silent but for their breathing while Aoba mulls over his choices. Even without using Scrap, his words have the power to permanently change things, and he won't know if he's made the right choice until after he's said them. That's a scary thought. Still, he has to try.

"Noiz?" he calls out. "I'm sorry."

Without turning around, Aoba can still tell that Noiz is frowning, confused, his brows furrowing in a way Aoba has come to think of as cute.

"Why?"

"I like being with you like this. Before, I was just… worried, I guess, that things won't be so simple for us once you're fully recovered."

"Oh? Were you wanting to keep me permanently bedridden? Kinky."

"God you're gross sometimes. I'd punch you in the mouth for only thinking about sex all the time, but then I remembered it's not your fault for being a hormonal teenager who probably hasn't left puberty yet."

"Only makes you seem like a pedo when you keep bringing up my age."

"Fuck," Aoba says, smacking his palms over his face. "Fuck me—"

"Gladly."

Aoba whirls around to glare at Noiz. "Let me finish my apology!"

"Unless what comes after 'fuck me' are requests for how you'd like the deed done, I don't want to hear it." Noiz's lips are set in a stubborn line. He looks close to being upset.

The whole point of the apology was to smooth things over, to take more steps to clear things up and try to be more honest with each other. Well, fuck if it isn't botched now. Aoba sighs.

"Will you at least listen to a request of a different kind, then?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"I'll listen, but I'll only comply if I want to."

"All right, sounds fair," Aoba says. He wipes his sweaty palms on his jeans before leaning back in to take Noiz's hands, running his thumbs over the piercings there. "I want to be there for you. Whenever you need someone, I want you to know you can count on me. You can even call me in the middle of the night; I won't get mad."

"Not even a little bit?"

"Well, I'll be pissed if you're picking fights again, but I won't be mad you called." Aoba continues at Noiz's amused snort. He babbles. "So… I hope it's not too much to ask you to be there for me, too. Stay with me, be by my side, become someone I can rely on. I'm not asking for forever, just for as long as you're willing." The words come rushing out before his thoughts catch up, leaving him flushing in embarrassment.

Noiz leans in to breathe his answer into Aoba's parted lips.

"Okay."

They kiss lightly, pulling back just in time. A nurse knocks on the door to announce that visiting hours are over.

"Okay," Aoba says, "I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

You were about to say 'love', weren't you, Aoba?

"Yeah."

You _are_ asking for forever, aren't you, Aoba?

"It feels like it could be a forever kind of thing."

Coward, coward, coward~

"I'll tell him next time. Next time…"

* * *

Noiz is gone. He hasn't been responding to coil messages for days. Aoba worries incessantly, then berates himself for worrying. What if Noiz just left? No, it's an insult to Noiz to think he would be that fickle. But what if he's hurt again? No, it's also insulting to think he wouldn't be able to call for help. He'd said "okay" to being there for Aoba, and Aoba had sent messages saying "I just want to talk. Are you free?" To refuse to respond to even those… In some ways it hurts less to think Noiz _is_ incapacitated in some way.

Thinking like _that_ makes him feel even worse about himself. If Noiz doesn't respond soon, Aoba's going to round up a search party. The logistics of it – all the favors he'll have to call in – are giving him a headache before he's even started.

Granny notices the change in Aoba's mood the very first night when Aoba's "friend" doesn't show up for dinner even though he'd been expressly invited. And Tae knew who this "friend" was; she knew how much of her cooking had been going to the hospital over the past month. Hell, she was the one who'd told Aoba to extend the invitation in the first place.

Aoba brushes it off, saying, "He's probably still sore that I beat him at a game this afternoon," but Noiz's childishness had never been this petty, and Aoba doesn't want to think Noiz is deliberately being cruel, not after everything they've been through together.

Some nights later, Aoba gets embarrassingly drunk and sends a slew of ranting voicemails that alternately go from, "Fuck you for toying with me!" to "Please call me back, I really think we can work things out." In the morning, Granny just frowns. She doesn't yell. She even brings up breakfast and checks him for a fever like he's ten years old again.

He grabs her gnarled old hand as she's about to pull back and says, in a fit of melancholy nostalgia, "You know I'm never going to leave you, right Granny? I'm not like Mom. I won't just pack up and leave everything behind for a whirlwind romance."

"Hmph. Don't make promises you can't keep."

"I'm serious. Even if I move out, even if it's to someplace far away, we can still talk through our coils. I know you don't like to use yours, so I'll write emails and send postcards too, not like _them_ , who only remember you once a year at best."

She smacks him over the head. "Don't badmouth your parents, either."

"It's just the truth," Aoba says with a pout. "At the very least I'd never adopt a kid only to drop him off at your doorstep and expect you to do all the actual work of being a parent."

Granny sighs. "Take it easy today."

And Aoba does. He has the day off from Heibon, so he checks in on Mizuki, then loiters around downtown. It's been a while since the last time he's just hung out with Ren. They look at new Allmate models and discuss possible upgrades to Ren's aging components.

It's nearing dusk when he powers off Ren and slides himself into an empty alleyway to make his first and only call to Noiz for the day. He's in Benishigure territory, so it's safe enough, but Aoba still checks to make sure he's alone because what he wants to say is private.

The call goes directly to voicemail, as expected. "Noiz," he starts, then takes in a shaky breath before gaining the courage to continue, "I didn't want the first time I said this to you to be through a voice message while I'm hiding in a dingy alley… Well, that doesn't matter. I'll understand if you don't feel the same, but I just thought you deserved to know why I've been blowing up your coil all the time. I worry about you because… because I love you."

It feels like the words have been caught in his throat for so long. Aoba laughs now that they're finally free. The dam has broken. Screw timing and screw romance. To hell with pride and propriety. What Aoba loves most about Noiz is his honesty, so honesty is the currency with which he'll pay him back. "I love you, love you, love you," he says hysterically. "I'm sorry, I can't help it, I just felt like saying it. Love you, Noiz. Love you…"

He clutches his coil to his chest long after the message has been sent. Then, the unexpected happens.

He gets a reply.

It's just one line: an address.

Aoba's mind goes blank. All he remembers of the trip are labored breaths, his legs pumping along concrete, the sound of blood rushing through his ears. When he gets to Noiz's apartment, he pounds so hard on the unlocked door that it slams right open and sends him sprawling to the floor in an undignified heap, Ren's bag luckily making a soft landing on the doormat.

It's a small studio apartment. Junk is piled high in the corners, but it looks like most of the stuff's been packed away. Noiz stands in front of the bed, and suddenly that's all Aoba sees. He only vaguely registers something different about Noiz before he scrambles to his feet and rushes to wrap the younger man in an embrace. Clinging desperately to Noiz, Aoba chokes out, "I'm so glad you're safe."

Noiz's hands come up to grip Aoba's, but he doesn't say anything.

Feeling his lover's heartbeat under his palms calms Aoba down. He's real. He's here. Aoba hesitantly glances up and finally takes in the difference he'd noted earlier. Or, rather, _differences_.

There's an expensive looking suit laid out on Noiz's bed, tags still on. Noiz himself is only wearing black jeans and a thin white undershirt – no neons, pastels, or mismatched accessories anywhere to be seen. Even more jarring is the lack of metal on his face and hands. Looking closely, Aoba can see the tiny holes where the piercings used to be. He reaches to trace the missing snake bites only for Noiz to catch his fingers for a kiss.

If the feelings are still there, Aoba wonders, then why would Noiz disappear like that? Their eyes meet and drift away.

"I made a mistake."

"Damn right you did! What were you _thinking_ , worrying me like that!"

"No, I shouldn't have listened to your messages. I shouldn't have contacted you," Noiz says in his infuriatingly calm tone.

"What?!" Aoba clenches his hands, willing himself not to give into the urge to deck this bastard like he deserves. After that mortifying babbling love confession, Noiz reacts like this!

"Me too, I… Now that I've seen you again, I don't think I'll be able to go through with it."

"With what? Ditching me without a word?"

"I want to take responsibility. I'm going to become someone you can rely on."

"Huh?!"

None of what Noiz is saying makes the least bit of sense! Something must be getting lost in translation between Aoba's human speech and the language of whatever-the-fuck species Noiz belongs to. _Taking responsibility_ , in Aoba's world, means staying in contact with your lover to build a life together. Similarly, being able to rely on someone means that someone has to _be there_ , and Aoba tries to explain as much.

"But you already _are_ … aren't you? It's not like you fucked and ran, at least not until recently. We're together now; we're _something_. I thought that was what it meant to take responsibility. I can't rely on you if you aren't here for me!"

Noiz glances to the side in embarrassment. His speech comes out slowly, carefully metered as it does when he's thinking very deeply over how to put his thoughts into words.

"My family, in Germany… At least my brother will have been looking for me. He'll give me a job, I'm sure."

"And you… miss your home?"

"It was never home."

"Then you… just don't want to stay in Midorijima anymore?"

Noiz shrugs, tilts his head to the suit on the bed. "Not a lot of respectable jobs on the island."

"I, uh, never pegged you for the type. I mean, I didn't think your goal was to become a… businessman?" Just having the words leave Aoba's own mouth is enough to confuse him. Noiz. In a suit. And a proper length tie. Possibly with a briefcase. Oh god.

"Don't particularly want to be," Noiz says with another shrug.

Aoba sighs in complete exasperation. He can't stay mad when Noiz is just being his usual not-quite-human-yet self. "I know the hospital TV was shitty, but I sincerely hope you haven't picked up any weird notions from daytime soaps."

"You would know, wouldn't you. What's the new show Yoshie-san is forcing you to watch now? Darkest Passions? Confessions of an Office Lady?"

"It's 'Love Destination: Tokyo', and it's not my fault Heibon's TV is also shitty. But my _point_ is that you're pretty much a computing genius. Any software company around would be glad to hire you if you wanted a proper job. I don't care either way if you want to change your aesthetic, but… I just hope you didn't think you needed to have a complete makeover because of what I said."

"You deserve someone better than this," Noiz says. He sweeps his hands across the room, gesturing to the computer parts and takeout boxes strewn across the floor.

"I think that's my choice to make, and returning to Germany is your choice. Just don't shut me out of the decision process, okay?" Truthfully, the thought of Noiz leaving for foreign lands puts a sting in Aoba's chest, but what is it that they say… It's better to have loved and lost? If you love someone, let him go? Something like that.

"I wanted to… I was going to ask you to come with me once I had settled down in Germany."

"You mean for a visit? You want us to continue as a long distance relationship?"

"No, I mean for good. If you wanted, I would… try to provide a normal life for you there."

Okay, _this_. Now _this_ , there's something totally wrong with this line of thinking.

Aoba fixes Noiz with a sarcastic grin. "I don't know how well I would have taken it if you'd just barged in after what – months after a sudden disappearance? And then you'd say, 'Hey Aoba, drop everything and move halfway across the world with me.' Really, Noiz? _That_ was your plan?"

"But you would have said yes. Isn't that what everyone wants? Rich foreign prince comes riding in on a Maserati, saying, 'You're the only one for me'. Can you honestly tell me you'd say no?"

"Ah, so that's where you get your weird notions: fairy tales. In that case, I call dibs on prince since I princess-carried you. Also, a Maserati in Midorijima wouldn't look so cool because it'd be stuck in traffic all the time. What are your opinions on electric scooters?"

"But you _would have_ ," Noiz insists, green eyes intent on a proper response.

Aoba scoffs. "If I _would have_ , it'd be because it was _you_ who was asking, not just any prince. Honestly, you should know me by now. I've never been after your money. You could come to me dressed as a hobo or covered in full-body tattoos to go along with your piercings and I'd still go with you as long as you were still Noiz."

"You'd… You think you could be happy with me even when I'm like this."

"I already am."

"But wouldn't you be _happier_ if—"

"No! I wanted you to grow up a bit, yeah, but you don't need a three piece suit and an office job to be a dependable guy in my eyes. I think it's sweet that you're willing to change for me – you don't know how happy I am just to hear it – but I'm already in love with you. I love you," Aoba says again, "I _love_ you. Just the way you are."

"…Okay. Okay, then."

The piercings are sitting ready in a bowl of saline, having been placed there upon their removal. Slowly, meticulously, Aoba helps put them back in one by one.


	2. scenes from ever after

Noiz has some savings from information brokering that will last him a while. It's funny how he'd never considered himself independently wealthy until Aoba had taken a look at his bank account and promptly smacked him over the head no less than five times because "Why the hell would you think you needed to rely on your parents when you've earned this much yourself?! Sheesh. No wonder you could afford eating delivery every day."

Noiz doesn't think it's all that much money, but Aoba says it's more than enough for a normal person. It's a matter of perspective. Having grown up in an environment where yachts and mansions were the norm, second homes were expected, and no one ever cooked their own dinners because that's what staff are for, somewhere along the line Noiz had internalized the idea that making money is how you keep a significant other happy. All this time, he's been considering the attitudes of millionaires and billionaires to be normal. And it's not. He's always known this to be the case, intellectually speaking, but he's never had to try so hard to weed out the roots of those beliefs in himself.

So he asks what "actually normal" people would do with their money and ends up buying a modest house in the East District, not too far from Aoba's home or the shops downtown. The rabbit cubes enjoy the extra space. They roll around the hardwood floors, a happy chorus of "Pi! Pi!" going off whenever he tells them to do whatever they want. They trail after Aoba when he visits, a line of little robots tumbling at his heels and enthusiastically dog-piling the long-suffering Ren.

Noiz rents the empty office space above Heibon, using it to stash all his computers. Aoba helps transform one of the rooms into a proper workspace with an actual desk set in a well-lit area because it'll make Noiz look professional enough during video meetings. There aren't any large companies with branches in Midorijima since Toue had such a monopoly on the island, so it's looking like Noiz will have to be an independent consultant.

Whatever, he thinks. He had essentially been running his own company for years, just with street punks as his employees. Noiz uses connections with a few of his grown-up-and-gone-straight contacts to start advertising his services: programming, security, remote network assistance. His offer is taken up by a few smaller companies, just family-owned businesses and start-ups that don't need or can't afford the salaries of an entire IT department. He works efficiently and discretely enough to earn a few recommendations. Bigger contracts will come in time. For now, this is enough.

Meanwhile, Heibon begins offering services in addition to parts. This is mostly Haga-san's not-so-sneaky ploy to open up a full-time position for Aoba. "COMPUTER, COIL, AND ALLMATE REPAIRS!" says the new sign in the window, and, in smaller print, "Custom upgrades and mods! Ask for Aoba!"

Excessive exclamation marks aside, Aoba is satisfied with his new responsibilities. He is also most pleased to be able to use the threat of Noiz to keep the three brats from going too wild in the store.

"You know pervy piercings guy is just upstairs, right? If you make too much noise, he'll come down."

"No he won't!" says Kio.

"Yeah, he won't!" says Nao.

"Adults are scary, such liars!" says Mio.

"Who won't?" Noiz stands behind them, head cocked questioningly, face otherwise expressionless, all the metal rings and studs glinting under the fluorescent lighting.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

So life goes on, just like this.

Aoba shows up at Noiz's door one day, bright and early, just in time for the morning commute. Walking to work together would be normal, but this time Aoba pulls up on a shockingly blue scooter. Ren sits in the basket up front. Aoba smirks and says, in his best smarmy voice, "Hey baby, lemme give you a ride."

Noiz obediently gets on the tiny back seat, though he glares all the way to Heibon. Aoba snickers and names the offending vehicle "Maserati". No one can argue that Heibon's deliveries aren't faster with the scooter around, but Noiz's gaze darkens whenever he sees it.

Thus marks the beginning of their passive-aggressive battle to be crowned Most Embarrassing Boyfriend. Round two begins with Noiz on the offensive. He pays Aoba back in kind the next time he's invited to dinner with Granny. He sheds most of his piercings for the night, dons The Suit, and all but asks for Aoba's hand in marriage.

"You're joking, Noiz. Right? Granny, he's totally joking."

"I'm not. Mrs. Seragaki, please believe me. I'm completely earnest in my desire to live together with Aoba, if you'll give us your blessing."

"You live _down the street_. Why would you even need to…?"

"It's called integrity."

"...Oh my god."

Aoba is shocked, mortified, and red as a tomato (even if he's secretly a little bit happy inside). Granny has never laughed so hard in her life. She says it's rare for youngsters to care about integrity these days. She says yes.

* * *

Summer comes to Midorijima, meaning heat waves and near-tropical humidity. Aoba sheds his ubiquitous jacket in favor of t-shirts and tank tops and leaning over distractingly while wearing said t-shirts and tank tops. Noiz holds that any and all groping incidents are entirely provoked, i.e. they would not have happened if Aoba hadn't been there. Aoba does not find this amusing.

What he _does_ find amusing is Noiz struggling with summer heat for the very first time. Noiz has never felt an actual Midorijima summer despite all the years he's lived on the island. Sure, he used to sweat, but he'd never experienced the actual discomfort that comes with temperature extremes.

The only analogy Noiz can think of is that it feels like burning his tongue on too-hot food, except all over his body, and it doesn't even taste good. It forces Noiz to buy a whole new summer wardrobe, and to rack up the electricity bill through excessive use of AC, and to consume unholy amounts of ice cream.

"It's hot," he whines to Aoba.

"Well, that's summer for you, Noiz. Summer is hot." How completely unsympathetic Aoba is being. Noiz pouts.

As they lie down together in a sweaty lump in front of the oscillating fan, Noiz starts to mentally catalog his previous summer experiences for comparison. He thinks of days spent holed up in his apartment, hacking and consuming take-out. He thinks further back, to his childhood, to peeking out the windows at other children playing while he was locked in his room. And then further back, to the times when he was still allowed to play outside, running through the mansion grounds with… Theo. Noiz's pout slowly turns into a frown.

Perhaps Noiz deserved better parents. Well, Theo deserves a better brother; one who doesn't just disappear without a word. When Noiz disappeared on Aoba, a week was enough to send Aoba into a panic. For Theo, it's been years.

He whispers, maybe to Aoba and maybe just to himself, "My parents named me Wilhelm. I used to play outside with my brother on days like this. He's been looking for me."

Aoba's hands freeze from where they were carding through Noiz's hair. Learning so much about Noiz in such a straightforward manner is hard to take in. Noiz had mentioned having a brother before, and might even have said that he thought his brother would be missing him, but he had never said it in this soft, pained tone of voice. Aoba is overwhelmed. He can't even bring himself to tease _Wilhelm_ about his totally uncool name.

"How do you know?" Aoba eventually asks. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I understand now," Noiz says, propping himself up on his elbows. He leans over Aoba and dips down for a quick kiss at an angle that would have been impossible had they not been flopped in a haphazard pile of limbs on the floor. When Noiz pulls back, the flush high on his cheeks has nothing to do with the weather. He huffs, a silent almost-laugh at the matching expression on Aoba's face.

In hoarse whispers, he continues. "Caring for someone… It goes both ways. If you were gone, I would look for you as you looked for me."

Aoba snakes his arm behind Noiz's neck. His fingers brush teasingly through the soft hair and skin at Noiz's nape while his palm firmly presses Noiz back down until the tips of their noses touch.

"Then you should go see him."

* * *

It's not hard finding Theo's contact information. His profile picture on the company website shows a fine young master. The warmth and gentleness in Theo's eyes is the same as when they were children.

If it were only Theo, Noiz would rush to his brother's side. But the truth is, even if Noiz were to instruct his brother not to let their parents know of his return, Theo wouldn't listen. Theo has always had this one failing, that he sees the best in people even when the best is not there. He would want them to reconcile no matter what.

Noiz knows that if Theo had been the one locked away, then Noiz, bratty and disobedient, would have fought tooth and nail against their parents. Theo, on the other hand, was too good-natured to put up a fight, and probably convinced himself that their parents were trying to do what was best for Noiz even if they were horribly misguided. (They weren't, though. They were only thinking of themselves.)

His family is, unfortunately, a package deal. As such, there's something Noiz has to do before he shows himself to them. He has to make a clean break, has to erase all his claims to the family fortune so that his parents won't feel threatened or pressured by his sudden reappearance. That way they won't feel obligated to put on the act of welcoming home the lost lamb, and won't expect to keep him close.

Lucky for him, the new provisional government of Midorijima is handing out citizenship to just about anyone who wants it. When Platinum Jail fell, there were many who wandered out of the wreckage in a daze. Constant exposure to visual and auditory hypnosis techniques had damaged their minds. Memories were wiped, past identities and nationalities forgotten.

And now new identities are being forged, new lives carved out one piece, one day at a time. Noiz resolves to be one of them. He'd long ago thrown his lot in with these scrapyard dogs; he might as well make it official.

"Aoba."

"Hmm?"

"Let me take your family name."

The first time Noiz kind-of-almost-not-really asked Aoba to marry him was equal parts exasperating and endearing. This second time is just plain confusing.

Aoba shakes his head and checks to make sure he heard right. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I need to register for a new ID card. A real one. I don't want to rely on the fakes anymore." Noiz pauses, unsure of how to continue.

Aoba hears the faint clacking of him playing with his tongue piercing, and when the silence stretches too long, Aoba dares to ask, "A-are you… asking to m-marry into my family?"

Noiz's brows furrow in concentration. He stays deep in thought for the longest time before his eyes shoot wide open, surprised. Wonder spills out in his voice. "Yes."

"Granny will want to know about this," Aoba says, barely suppressing a chuckle.

"Ah. I'll get out the suit."

"Please don't."

* * *

They don't get married, not really.

"What are your thoughts on marriage?" Aoba asks teasingly.

"It's whatever," Noiz says.

So unromantic. (It's not like Aoba is any better, though.)

Neither Midorijima nor mainland Japan recognizes same-sex marriage. If they were just to have a ceremony themselves, Aoba would have Mizuki providing drinks and probably bringing an entourage of leather-wearing, tattooed punks. Then there's Koujaku and Benishigure (also punks no matter how much they deny it), and a bunch of old folks. That's Aoba's side of the family.

Noiz would invite his "more tolerable" acquaintances from Ruff Rabbit, now a decentralized hackers' coalition. "Tolerable" in Noiz-speak means they're actually friends but Noiz won't admit it. But anyway, all of them are punks too. Ninety percent of the gathering would be punks. A brawl is sure to break out before the first toast is even made. This is probably a testament to the kind of people Noiz and Aoba are.

In his imaginary disaster of a Midorijima wedding, Aoba's not sure which side Clear would go with. They'd probably end up with a gas mask-wearing AI officiating in place of a priest because he's the only one strong and sweet enough to hold back the swarm of punks.

No, it's really for the best that they didn't try to get married in any sort of traditional way.

They're still sort of married, though.

The name on Noiz's shiny new ID card reads "Seragaki Wilhelm". This time Aoba really does laugh at the mismatched name. It fits Noiz so well and also not at all.

"What? It's just a name. I can't put 'Noiz' on a business card."

Aoba just laughs harder. His boyfriend is perfect just like this: cool, dangerous Noiz and earnest, dorky Wim all in one.

* * *

Noiz loves both sides of his boyfriend, too. Cool, dangerous Sly and earnest, dorky Aoba.

* * *

The air is crisp, a refreshing coldness going down his nose and into his lungs. The skies are clear, slate blue framed by the tips of skeletal trees as Aoba looks up. He brings his gaze back down at the feel of Noiz linking their arms together. They walk on in comfortable silence toward the meeting place.

Winter in Germany is different from anything Aoba has experienced before. It's not only the language and culture that surrounds them, but also the fact that it _snows_. _Regularly_. It snows on Midorijima maybe twice a year, each time melting within a day. There's a giant grin on Aoba's face, and he can't stop marveling at the glittering white banks.

Aoba is only here as emotional support while Noiz confronts his family. It's just that it would be such a waste of a globetrotting expedition not to have a little fun, too. Theo had been very understanding in his emails about Noiz's request to have a sibling reunion first, before their parents got involved. They agree to meet outside a cafe.

Theo's hair is longer, wavier, but their faces are nearly the same. Aoba nudges Noiz with his elbow. "Looks just like you," he says.

"I don't see it," is Noiz's reply. Aoba is about to make a snappy retort, but they've finished their approach and Theo has spotted them, his eyes widening.

Noiz raises his hand in a casual wave. "Yo."

Theo doesn't have Noiz's poker face. His expressions cycle rapidly – happy, confused, excited, completely at a loss for what to do. Seeing your long lost brother return looking like a cross between a libertine art student and a street thug will do that to you. Noiz is dressed down, just a sweater and jeans under his coat, but the piercings alone are enough to be considered scandalous in this high-class part of town. Aoba's own blend of bright blue hair and Midorijima street fashion certainly doesn't help matters much, though he's helpful by way of nudging Noiz close enough for a hug.

Introductions are made. The brothers catch up over coffee. Aoba delights in hearing tales of their childhood. _"Wim"_ , he teases, and it's probably obvious what they are to each other, but Theo doesn't ask or comment.

Hours pass, and before they know it, it's time to head to the family estate for dinner. Theo takes them in his car, and while he chatters on about how their parents have missed Wim so, he's just as nervous as the other two.

"I really want you to stay," he says to his brother. "You said most of your work is remote tech support, right? You can work from anywhere."

Noiz shakes his head. "I have family in Midorijima."

Theo winces at Noiz's use of "family". He glances at the rear view mirror to Aoba in the back seat. "You can invite them, too."

"Wouldn't be fair to them."

At this point, Aoba interjects. "Your parents are more old-fashioned, huh. Are you sure you don't want to take the piercings out? Try to make a better impression on them?"

"What kind of family would it be if I had to dress up just to have dinner together, at home?" Noiz says sarcastically. He shakes his head. "They said they wanted to see how I was doing. This is who I am now. They can accept me as I am or not at all."

* * *

His mother cries and takes him into her arms. She looks remorseful but never once brings up what they did to him as a child. Noiz assures her that he is fine, that he is happy amongst the commoners. Guilt assuaged, she makes only a few token protests that he should stay in Germany and join his father's company.

With his father, the conversation is nearly emotionless. He, too, does his best to pretend Noiz ran away because he was a rebellious teen and not because he was escaping abuse. What Noiz says to him throughout the night essentially boils down to, in a roundabout way, "I'm alive. I'm not out to get you. I don't want your money."

Aoba is conflicted, and it shows as nervousness. He tries his best to be polite and soft-spoken. For some reason, he still wants Noiz's parents to like him.

"And who is this?" they ask once things have settled down enough for them to notice Aoba.

"Seragaki Aoba, my partner."

Noiz plows through, so blunt and unapologetically himself. He doesn't stutter or delay or play word games. He doesn't introduce Aoba as a friend or roommate out of fear of his parents' reactions. No more or less needs to be said. It's not like they haven't secretly been doing extensive background checks on everyone once Theo had established contact. It's not like they don't know about their son's name change.

Dinner passes uncomfortably, too quiet at some moments, and too loud at others. Most of the conversations are in German, which goes right over Aoba's head. Noiz and his father nearly shout at each other at one point. His mother's eyes remain teary; she dabs at them throughout the meal. No one eats much at all.

A driver takes them back to their hotel. On the way, Aoba pulls Noiz's head to rest on his shoulder.

"I'm proud of you."

"So am I not a brat anymore in your eyes?"

"You'll always be a brat," Aoba says, kissing Noiz's brow. "Just a grown up one."

* * *

"We're not supposed to be here," says Nao. "This isn't part of the shop."

"Well, we're not supposed to be in the shop part of the shop either," says Mio. "Baldy banned us for the week, remember?"

Kio, taking on the leadership position as the oldest of the siblings, shushes the others. "Quiet, you guys. We have to save Aoba."

Just then, they hear the muffled voice of their damsel in distress – that is, Aoba. It was a quiet day at the shop, with no customers other than the three siblings. Pervy Piercings Guy had dragged Aoba upstairs to his Evil Office Lair. It's been half an hour, and Aoba hasn't been seen since.

The rescue team sneaks closer to the room with the noises. Eerie moans and pants emanate from the half-inch crack in the door, like a ghost in pain. A ghost!

"Eep!" Nao shivers and tucks his hands into his oversized sleeves. "What if he's already killed Aoba and that's his ghost?"

Kio swallows. "I-I don't know if we should do this anymore..."

"Ugh, boys!" Mio huffs. "Such cowards!"

She kicks the door open.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"


End file.
